These are some contradicting facts about Vilnius, humble opinion about the city after visiting it.

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It was the first time I visited Europe. In spite of my living in center of continent – in Republic of Belarus, its capital Minsk seems to be like outback of Europe. So my expectations of Lithuania as a European Union country were high.
First, I should say that Lithuanian capital city – Vilnius has so much in common with Belarus and its history. Our grand ancestors fought shoulder to shoulder against German and other invaders on the ancient battlefields. Years ago two cities of Minsk and Vilnius were a part of a big power — Grand Duchy of Lithuania. At that time Vilnius was its capital. And that state was well known all over the world. That was the time of grand dukes, great victories and prosperity.
However all good things seem to end. Now descendants of that powerful country are separated by the border between Belarus and Lithuania. And, unfortunately, common historical heritage is an issue of argument between two neighbor countries.
Anyway, I had a strong interest and desire to see with my own eyes historical motherland. I went for a short trip from Minsk to Vilnius by train. The road took me about four or five hours. It’s shorter than some other routes from Minsk to the biggest cities of Republic of Belarus. The distance between two capitals is 168 km. But the main barrier is a border of the countries, as I already mentioned.
I had three days for sightseeing Vilnius, two of which were aimed for students’ conference. So I don’t have much time to enjoy beauty and architecture of the capital of Lithuania. But time was enough to make some important conclusion which I’m willing to share with you.
First of all, unlike Minsk, Vilnius was full of green plants. Trees, bushes, groves were almost everywhere. I was very surprised to see all that comparing with more urban streets in Minsk. I was walking through different parts of the city, here and there were much more greenery than in my hometown. One thought came to my mind: “Is it really European capital?”
What’s more, Vilnius seemed to me a bit empty city. As I was walking in the day off I expected to see a lot of people. But surprisingly there were very few of them. There were very few young people hanging around. In comparison with Minsk it was absolutely nonsense because I got used to see loads of people especially in the center. However Vilnius was calmer city. Perhaps, it’s even better for some people who prefer tranquil living.
One more thing I noticed in Vilnius was its transport – very slow and old. And by the way, payment is much more expensive than in it is in Belarus. For not making unsubstantiated statements, I should say that it’s 3 times more expensive. Also in Vilnius it takes you a lot of time to get from one part of the city to another when going by public transport. That’s because you have to wait for half an hour until it comes. Furthermore, there can be breaks for several hours between two races. Those facts made me upset because I wanted to see more or Vilnius but didn’t have enough time.
And there is what to see in Vilnius! It’s very beautiful old city. With a great number of historical monuments, architectural masterpieces and just amazing sights. It’s growing and becoming more contemporary. There are several great shopping centers as Acropolis, Ozas, Panorama and others. They are giant! You hardly can make the round of one of them in a day. Here comes a question: “Maybe, they are too big for little population?“
That’s what I’ve got after visiting Vilnius. These are some contradicting facts. Perhaps, you don’t agree with them. Anyway, it’s my own opinion.